Imaging of Large Samples

Imaging Large Fields of View With High Resolution:

In embryology or developmental biology, you often need microscopes who provide a large field of view to handle and image whole specimens such as C.elegans or Zebrafish embryos with sizes of up to 1 mm. In neurobiology you track neurons over long distances in brain slices. This requires imaging of large and thick samples in 3D. Innovative imaging methods like tiling support these applications. However it still is a challenging and often time-consuming task for every microscopist. You need to achieve high resolutions for detailed imaging while preserving the context of your results within the organism via an overview image.

Automate Your Workflow

Axio Scan.Z1 provides a fully automated workflow: the system creates a preview of your slides, performs tissue detection, and then focuses and scans up to 100 slides per batch unattended. You choose between brightfield and multichannel fluorescence imaging modes, 1”x3” and 2”x3” slides, and single plane or Z stack acquisition. ZEN for Axio Scan.Z1 can even process the Z-stack during scanning with an Extended Depth of Field (EDF) algorithm. Your advantage: a single plane image with a perfect focus even for thick specimens. Afterwards you and your colleagues use the included imaging server ZEN browser with its powerful user administration, navigation and annotation options to access the imaging data from virtually anywhere.

Tiling and Stitching

To obtain high resolution images of large samples captured with a large field of view microscope, you need to subdivide your region of interest into multiple smaller images, referred to as tiles. These tiles are imaged individually and are then combined via stitching to a larger overview. Tiling can be applied to nearly every microscope technique, offering flexibility and high resolution combined with a large field of view. However, done manually, multiple image acquisition and subsequent alignment is a time consuming procedure. With precise motorized stages and the advanced imaging Software ZEN you automatically acquire perfectly aligned tiles, for example on your Axio Imager, Axio Observer or Axio Scan.Z1 microscope system. Tile acquisition can be combined with z-stacking and/or time series. ZEN stitches your tiles exactly together even during image acquisition. You easily generate high-resolution images of whole organisms and smoothly interact via a zooming user interface optimized for fast display of the data sets. And when you need the superior resolving power of ZEISS scanning electron microscopes such as MERLIN or SIGMA VP you perform large area imaging for an extreme field of view. Directly benefit from our ATLAS software which reduces the number of tiles, stage motion delay, overlap and computational complexity.

Zooming from Overview to High Resolution

With large field of view objectives and extended working distance, stereo and zoom microscopes are ideal for large biological samples. You benefit from quick-and-easy zooming from an overview to small details without changing the objective. SteREO Discovery.V12 and and SteREO Discovery.V20 are equipped with motorized zoom, allowing you to choose the perfect magnification, while observing large samples with an enhanced three dimensional impression. For fluorescence imaging of whole organisms the zoom microscope Axio Zoom.V16 is your ideal tool. Opted for higher apertures it achieves ten times brighter fluorescence and more than double resolution than conventional stereo microscopes. You even have the option to extend Axio Zoom.V16 with ApoTome.2 and perform optical sectioning of your large samples.

With Lightsheet Z.1 you have the unique possibility to image from multiple views to capture overall 3D information of your large, living and fluorescently labeled samples. This is enabled by a coverslip-free sample preparation technique and a special sample holder that allows you to rotate your specimen in a large field of view. Incubator option and gentle illumination keep your model organism or tissues alive while performing long-term experiments to observe developmental processes. You handle the inherently large data sets easily with the accompanying offline workstation.

Not all products are available in every country. Use of products for medical diagnostic, therapeutic or treatment purposes may be limited by local regulations. Contact your local ZEISS provider for more information.